Adjustable foundation pattern



Dec. 3, 1935.

B. VAN PATTEN ADJUSTABLE FOUNDATION PATTERN Filed June 30, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 3, 1935.

B. VAN PATTEN ADJUSTABLE FOUNDATION PATTERN Filed June 50, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED STATEin z ozzsn earner or ies 2 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of dress making and particularly to the making of dresses through the medium of individualized patterns.

This invention is an improvement over the invention comprised in my Patent No. 1,961,115,

granted May 29, 1934.

An object of this invention is to provide means whereby the conventional patterns at present available and which are cut to what might be termed standard figures, may be made individual so as to eliminate the necessity of first cutting the material in accordance with the standard pattern and then fitting the pieces of material or the partially finished garment on the wearer.

Another object of this invention is to provide a means in the form of a foundation pattern whereby persons having certain of the standard measurements and certain other measurements which are not standard may be properly fitted with a garment designed according to the standard pattern.

A further object of this invention is toprovide a means to be used as an adjunct to the standard patterns whereby the unusual measurements in certain portions of the standard patterns may be readily and quickly applied to the standard patterns which may be so altered that when the materialis cut from the re-formed pattern the material will fit the individual person at the first sewing of the material and not require additional labor to properly fit the garment.

Other objects will be apparent from the description and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front of a model showing the manner of taking the shoulder measurements to determine the alterations necessary in the shoulder portion'of the standard pattern.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the back of a model showing the manner of taking the rear shoulder measurements.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but, showing the manner of taking the sleeve measurements as to length.

Figure 4 is a plan view of one member of a foundation pattern constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 5 is a plan view of another member of a foundation pattern constructed according to this invention.

Figure 6 is a plan view of a further member of the foundation pattern.

Figure 7 is a plan view of a back pattern placed upon a similar foundation pattern.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 of the standard pattern removed from the foundation pattern.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the back pattern 5 placed upon a similar foundation pattern and showing the manner of adapting the standard pattern to the individual measurements where the length of the pattern must be shortened.

Figure 10 is a plan view of a front pattern 10 placed upon a similar foundation pattern.

Figure 11 is a plan view of the standard pattern after it has been individualized.

Figure 12 is a plan view of the front pattern on the foundation pattern showing the manner of reducing the length of the standard pattern.

Figure 13 is a plan view of a sleeve pattern showing the manner of reducing the length of the sleeve.

Figure 14 is a plan view of a sleeve pattern showing the manner of increasing the length of the sleeve.

Figure 15 is a plan view showing how th foundation pattern may be shortened.

Figure 16 is a plan view showing how the foundation pattern may be increased in length for the front.

Figure 17 is a plan view showing the manner of changing the length of the waist portion of the foundation pattern.

Figure 18 is a plan view showing a further method of changing the length of the waist portion of the pattern.

Figure 19 is a plan view of the front pattern showing further changes therein above the waist.

Figure 20 is a plan view showing the manner of increasing the length of the shoulder portion of the pattern.

Figure 21 is a plan view showing how the width of back may be increased.

Figure 22 is a plan view of the back pattern member showing how the lower portion of the pattern may be changed as to size.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, and referring first to Figure 4, the numeral it! designates a sheet of relatively heavy material having a relatively straight center line or margin, and a lower margin H disposed at substantially right angles to the center margin l2. This body ill has a substantially curved neck portion l3 terminating in a downwardly inclined shoulder portion. The shoulder portion l4 terminates at its lower end in a downwardly and outwardly curved sleeve opening I5, and the sleeve opening 15 has a waist or torso 55 wardly inclined hip portion 28.

portion I6 which is inclined inwardly andconnects with a hip portion ll which is inclined outwardly relatively sharply and terminates in a skirt portion l8 extending outwardly and downwardly at a less sharp angle than the hip portion ll.

The foundation pattern member ill here shown is of a size equal substantially to one-half of the back, and it will be understood that this pattern may be reversed for the other half portion of the back so that only one foundation pattern need be. used for the back.

The shoulder portion it of the body l8 has a plurality of spaced broken lines i do disposed substantially parallel with the marginal edge i l, and spaced broken lines 53a are disposed inwardly of the neck portion l3. Similarly spaced broken lines l5a are disposed inwardly of the sleeve opening 15, but these lines lea converge slightly toward the bottom at which pointthey connect with spaced downwardly divergent broken lines From the waist line'downwardly the hip portion I! also has a series of spaced broken lines ila which are substantially parallel with each other, and similarly broken lines its extend inwardly of the marginal edge l8. Transverse broken lines in parallel relation to each other are disposed inwardly of the bottom edge i l and are designated Ila.

The front portion or member I 9 of the foundation pattern is constructed of relatively heavy material, and as with the back E0 the inner edge 2 of the front I9 is relatively straight and tei ii nates at its upper end in a curved neck portion 2|. This neck portion 25 is curved upwardly and outwardly and terminates in a downwardly inclined and substantially straight shoulder portion 22. A front arm opening portion 23 extends downwardly on a curvature which extends inwardly for a portion of its length and then curves sharply outwardly and terminates in a relatively straight downwardly and outwardly inclined bust portion 24.. The waist portion 25 extends inwardly and downwardly from the bust portion 24 and is disposed on a slight curvature, terminating in a relatively straight downwardly and out- The skirt portion 27 extends downwardly from the hip portion 26.

The shoulder portion 22 of the front member is is provided with a plurality of spaced downwardly divergent broken lines 220, which at their lower ends connect with spaced broken lines 23a which preferably converge at substantially the junction of the arm opening portion 23 with the bust portion 24. A plurality of downwardly divergent broken lines 25a extend from the junction of the lower end of the bust portion 24 with the waist portion 25 and are continued downwardly as by broken lines 26a disposed inwardly of the hip portion, and are then continued through the skirt portion 21 as by broken lines 270;. The bottom of the skirt portion of the front is has a plurality, of relatively widely spaced lines Eta which aresubstantially parallel with the bottom 28.

The back member ill has a transversely extending line 29 a predetermined distance below the of these lines 29, 3t, and 35 with the marginal edges and with the spaced broken lines along the marginal edges determine the correct measurements to be used as a basis for re-fo-rming the standard pattern. A downwardly and inwardly inclined line 32 ext-ends from the lower portion of the shoulder to the meeting point of the waist line iii with the center of the back and the length of this line 32 determines the correct slope to be given to the shoulder of the standard pattern. A pair of complementary segmental lines 33 intersect the waist line 35 intermediate the ends thereof so as to indicate a dart, tuck or reduction in the width of the waist portion of the pattern.

The front pattern has a broken waist line 34 also intersected by complementary segmental lines 35, and a downwardly and inwardly inclined line 36 extends from the outer or lower end of the shoulder portion 22 to the junction of the waist line M on the inner end with the inner edge 2|]. A hip line iii defines the hip line of the pattern, and these lines 34 and 3'! at their outer ends cross the spaced broken lines on the outer edge of the pattern. Preferably a pair of inwardly convergent lines 38 extend inwardly from the lower portion of the bust portion 2d and the upper portion of the waist portion 25 so as to determine the desired fullness to be given in the bust of the garment.

In Figure 6 there is shown a foundation pattern member 39 provided with a curved l Dl er portion and downwardly convergent side marginal edges 4! and 42.

and similarly the edge 42 terminates in an obliquely disposed edge 44, and the marginal edges it and 34 are also downwardly convergent. Spaced broken lines 45 extend about threesides of the sleeve member 39 inwardly of the marginal edges thereof.

It is, of course, understood that in the procurement of the exact measurements for the modification of the standard pattern no allowance has been made for seams, and that the usual allowance is to be made for seams on all portions of the standard pattern.

Referring now to Figure 1, in order to obtain the correct slope of the shoulder 22 a tape line 35 or other measuring means is extended from the lowest portion of the shoulder 22 to the center of the waist 34', and this measurement is then laid off on the pattern 19 upwardly from the bottom of the line 36 toward the broken lines 22a. Should this measurement terminate in a line 22a, this line may be indicated on the foundation body is, or if desired the foundation pattern l9 "may be trimmed along this line 22a. The connecting line 23a will then determine the trimmingneoessary for the sleeve opening.

The measurement for the width of theback across the shoulder blades or substantially five inches below the neck I3 is taken as shown in Figure 4 at 29 and one-half of this total measurement will determine on the pattern the width-of the back along the line 29. ,The slope- 0f the shoulder portionof the pattern is taken along the line 29 from the top of the arms eye to the-middle of the back at the waist line, as shown in Figure 2.

Referring now to Figures 7 and 8, the standard pattern It for theback is then laid-on top of the modified foundation pattern In, and the edges of the standard pattern trimmed with the usual allowance for seams, so that the reformed standard pattern may then be placed on the material and the material cut as indicated by the standard pattern. V v

Where the standard'pattern I0" is too long in the skirt portion a fold or tuckv 46- can be taken The marginal edge 4| termi-' nates in an obliquely disposed marginal edge 43,

as indicated in Fig. 9, and in the same manner, as indicated in Figures 12, 13, and 15, the other members of the foundation pattern may be shortened and the standard pattern similarly shortened. Figures 14, 16, and 18 show how the foundation pattern may be lengthened in the different portions thereof, which is done by cutting the foundation pattern transversely at 41 and separating the cut portions the desired distance apart. If desired these spaced portions may be secured together as by tape or other securing means. Figures 17, 19, 20, 21, and 22 show how selected portions of the foundation patterns may be changed in size by forming darts or splitting the patterns as indicated.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the conventional or standard patterns indicating the design of a particular garment according to predetermined standard measurements can readily be altered in any portion thereof and that as many patterns as may be desired may be altered according to the individual measurements designated on the foundation pattern members hereinbefore described. The foundation pattern members hereinbefore described are particularly useful for persons having figures which do not conform to the standard measurements in their entirety so that when the material is cut it can be finally sewed up at the first operation, thereby eliminating a considerable amount of labor and effecting a saving of time so that the individualized garments may be completed in a shorter time than has heretofore been possible.

It is, of course, understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the above specifically described embodiment of this invention, such changes and modifications being limited only by the scope of the following claims. 5

What is claimed is:

1. A foundation pattern comprising a sheet having neck, shoulder, sleeve, bust, waist, hip and body portions, a plurality of spaced downwardly convergent lines extending from the upper end of the shoulder portion and terminating at the bust portion, and a plurality of downwardly divergent lines extending from the bust portion to the waist portion, said latter lines terminating at the upper ends thereof in downwardly spaced relation to the lower ends of the first named lines.

2. A foundation pattern comprising a sheet having neck, shoulder, sleeve, bust, waist, hip and body portions, a plurality of spaced downwardly convergent lines extending from the upper end of the shoulder portion and terminating at the bust portion, a plurality of downwardly divergent lines extending from the bust portion to the waist portion, said latter lines terminating at the upper ends thereof in downwardly spaced relation to the lower ends of the first named lines, and a plurality of downwardly divergent lines extending inwardly from the shoulder portion and connecting at their lower ends with the upper ends of said first named lines.

BERTHA VAN PATTEN. 

